Velocipede horse



April 3, 1952 T. w. LA MONTE VELOCIPEDE HORSE Filed April 24, 1950 INVENTOIi.

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PAT OFFICE VELOOIPEDE' HGRSE Thomas W. La Monte, La Habra, Calif.

Application April 24, 1950, Serial No. 157,794

4 Claims;

This: invention relates to toy vehicles of the I velocipede type and more particularly relates to a vehicle simulating a horse and characterized by'a mechanical action causing both normal horizontal propulsion of the vehicle and concomitant vertical movement in simulation of galloping.

Whilenumerous velocipedes and mechanical horses have been offered to the public, in which horizontal and vertical movement have been combined, their mechanical actions have not infrequently been better-'adaptedto the mental and physical capabilities of adults than to those of children. A child of the age and mentality to which such a toy vehicle appeals can easily be frustrated by the complications arising when the vehicle has to be" started from a dead-center position of the operating linkage. Assistance has sometimes been rendered by inclusion in the mechanism of springs ormultiple gears or counterweights, but these devices add to the weight and unwieldiness of the vehicle as well as to the cost of its manufacture.

It is an object of this invention to provide a galloping velocipede which responds to a natural riding movement of the rider to initiate forward propulsion from a dead-center position of' the operating linkage. T

Another object of the invention is'toprovide a novel operating linkage for a toy velocipede horse, which provides: a realistic galloping movement concomitant with either forward or rearward propulsion, and which requires for operation no greater skill or physical effort than a small child may be expected to provide.

A further object of the invention is to provide,

vention and of the accompanying drawing illustrative of that embodiment, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a velocipede horse according tomy invention, the operating mechanism being shown in a position in which the; hindquarters of the horse are partly raised, as in galloping;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line of section indicated by the line 2-2' of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the operating mechanism in the. deadcenter' position to which it' returns when propulsion ceases.

Having reference now to the details of the drawing, my invention comprises a body portion 5" in simulation of a horse, and a chassis 6 upon which the horse body is mounted. Forwardly the chassis 6 has-a single wheel 1 for steering, the fork 8 of which is connected to a steering post 9 which may be concealed within the body 5 and which carries handle bars H1 or other suitable hand grips: The forward end of the body 5' may be supported on the wheel I by a bearing bracket l-i secured to the body 5; and a bearing collar I2 secured to the steering post 9. The steering post 9. is preferably inclined forwardly and downwardl'y at a slight anglefrom the vertical, and below the collar I? the post is bent so that the attached fork 8' inclines at a. lesser angle, the preferred angulation and the reasons" therefor being ex-' plain'edmore' fully hereinafter in connection with the galloping action of the velocipede. Means for leading the velocipede, as a horse would be led, such as reins. It or an equivalent halter, may be attached to the head portion of the body 5.

The rearward portion of the body 5 is supported on a crank axle I 4 and rear wheels l5 mounted. thereon. Preferably only one of the wheels [5 is secured to the crank axle I 4 so as to be driven thereby, the other wheel being free rolling on the axle. to facilitate turning the velocipede.v A connecting rod l6. connects the crank l! of the axle I4 to the rearward portion of the body 5, having a pivotal, connection l8 to the body. The pivotal connection I8 is preferably disposed slightly forwardly of the axle I4, so that while the. connecting. rod [6 is at all times sufficiently vertical to afford support to the rearward portion. of the body 5, itwill incline slightly downwardly and rearwardly when aligned with the crank l!- in the lower dead-center position of the: axle and connecting rod, as. illustrated .in

ward portion of the body 5 and engage the axially rotative portion of the axle [4. The connection of the horizontal braces 20 to the body 5 may I conveniently bemade by a pivot bolt 2| held in the bracket H A. lever 22 is connected. to the connecting ros 18: by a pivot joint 2.3 and extends forwardly below the saddle portion of the body 5, terminating in pedals 24 suitably placed for operation by a person sitting on the body. A saddle 25 may be provided, the relationship to which of the pedals 25 will be natural and obvious. The lever 22 acts upon a fulcrum bar 25 which extends upwardly from the braces 20. The fulcrum bar 26 is arranged to swing in forward and rearward directions, being connected to the braces 20 by a pivot joint 21 mounted between the braces and to the lever 22 by a pivot joint 28. The length of the fulcrum bar 26 is preferably such that the pivot joint 28 is higher than the pivot joint 23 when the connecting rod [8 is in the lower dead-center position of Fig. 3. This construction, coupled'with the placement of the pivotal connection 18 forwardly of the position of the pivot joint 23 when the connecting rod is at low dead-center, results in the connect-'- ing rod and the lever 22 forming an acute angle when in the low dead-center position; and force exerted by the pivot joint 23 upwardly and tangentially to an are about the pivot joint 28 will throw the connecting rod rearwardly and upwardly, releasing the mechanism from deadcenter and moving the velocipede forward.

The length of the lever 22 between the pivot joints 28 and 23 is also preferably made less than the length of the braces 20 between the pivot joint 21 and the axle I4, so as to cause a rearward upward inclination of the fulcrum bar 26 when the connecting rod [6 is at low dead-center. Downward pressure applied to the pedals 24 will then tend to force the pivot joint 28 rearwardly, the fulcrum bar 26 pivoting on the joint 21 towards a more acute rearward angle with the braces 20, and thus again adding to the rearward force vector applicable to the connecting rod Hi to move the latter from deadcenter.

It will be obvious that rotation of the crankarm I! will act through the supporting connecting rod Hi to cause the rearward portion of the body to rise and fall, and that the body 5 will move arcuately about the axle of the steering wheel 1 in simulation of galloping or bucking, the rearward portion of the chassis 8 meanwhile pivoting upon the pivot bolt 21 to maintain the wheels l5 upon the ground. The arcuate movement of the body [5 varies the inclination of the inclined steering post 8 throughout the cycle of simulated galloping, the post approaching the vertical as the rump of the body 5 is raised and increasing in inclination as the rump descends. The inclined steering post 9, in combination with the trailing caster mounting 8, develops a tendency for the wheel I to wobble, the tendency increasing as the plane in which rotation of the post 8 swings the wheel I departs from the horizontal, and becoming less as the velocity of the vehicle increases.

Because the axle of the wheel 1 is disposed rearwardly of the axis of the steering post 8, the wheel I will follow any lead given to it by non-rotative as well as rotative movement of the post 8, and the vehicle may be led by the reins I3 along curved paths and through sharp turns without upsetting. However, to obtain both the following caster action, and a gentle wobbling action within the control of a small child, it is desirable that both the relative inclinations of the post 9 and caster mounting 8, and the specific inclination of the post 9 be kept within small limits. By keeping the maximum inclination of the post 9 so slight that it becomes nearly zero at a minimum, the child is given opportunity in each galloping cycle to obtain complete control of steering with little or no effort. By keeping small the radius through which the wheel 1 may swing, with the prolonged axis of the post 9 as a center, the maximum effort required to control the steering is kept small. The degree of required control may be varied on different sizes of velocipedes, those suited to larger children having, for example, a wider radius of caster. If, however, the axle of the'wheel l is always maintained at least asfar forward as the vertex of the angle formed by the post 9 and the caster mounting 8, which is to say that the caster mounting swings between a forward and downward inclination and a substantially vertical position, it will be found that the trailing drag on the wheel, while enough to permit leading the velocipede without upsetting it, is not sufficient to eliminate wheel wobble except at high speeds, under which conditions it should be eliminated.

To propel the vehicle forwardly, the rider alternately places his weight upon the pedals 24 and upon the saddle 25. To stop the vehicle, the rider throws his weight back in the saddle, a natural motion in riding; the driving mechanism will stop in the low dead-center position. This facilitates dismounting and mounting. Even when stopped after being led instead of ridden, the mechanism will return to the low easymounting, position. The starting motion, of pulling on the handles 10 to establish a standing position on the pedals 24, is the equivalent of the equestrian procedure of gathering" a horse by shifting weight from the horses haunches to the stirrups while momentarily restraining the horse by lightly pulling on the reins. To make the horse buck, the rider may replace his weight in the saddle just before the upward motion of the horses haunches, concurrent with the upper dead-center position of the crank I1, is completed; the horse will lurch up and forward, and then down and back, and the reversal of direction on the caster wheel I will produce a close approximation of a corkscrew buck.

I wish it to be understood that modifications may be made in the arrangement and construction herein recounted by way of example, without departure from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is to be interpreted as being coextensive with the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical horse of the velocipede type: a body in simulation of a horse; a steering wheel and steering post therefor mounted forwardly on said body; rear driving wheel; a crank axle for said rear wheel; a chassis frame in which said axle is journalled and pivotally connected to the forward portion of said body to permit .vertical movement of the rearward portion of said body relatively to said rear wheel; a connecting rod joining the rearward portion of said body and said crank axle, and operative to rotate said axle in response to vertical movement of said body; a fulcrum bar extending upwardly from said chassis frame below the saddle portion of said body; and a lever fulcrumed on said bar and having pedals extending forwardly from said bar, said lever being connected to said rod to cause upward movement of said rod in response to depression of said pedals; said connecting rod being pivotally connected to said body at a position above said axle toward which said connecting rod inclines slightly forwardly from said axle when said axle is in low dead-center position, and said fulcrum bar being of suflicient height that said lever then inclines downwardly from said bar to the connection of said lever with said connecting rod, whereby said lever then forms a substantially acute angle with said connecting rod.

2. In a mechanical horse of the velocipede type; the construction set forth in claim 1, in which said connecting rod is connected to said body at a position slightly forwardly of said axle, and the horizontal distance between the fulcrum point of said lever on said fulcrum bar and said connecting rod is constantly less than the horizontal distance between the connection of said chassis to said fulcrum bar and said axle, whereby depression of said pedals when said axle is in low deadcenter position exerts upward and rearward force on said connecting rod.

3. In a toy vehicle of the class described having concomitant horizontal and galloping movement; a body; steering means on the forward portion of said body; a rear driving wheel; a crank axle for said rear wheel; horizontal brace means connected to the axially rotative portion of said axle and pivotally connected tothe forward portion of said body; vertical support means connected to the crank portion of said axle and pivotally connected to the rearward portion of said body; a fulcrum mounted on said brace means for arcuate oscillation in forward and rearward directions; and a pedal lever medianly pivoted on said fulcrum and connected to said support means to cause vertical oscillation of said support means, said vertical oscillation in turn causing rotation of said axle; the length of said lever between said fulcrum and said support means being constant and requiring said fulcrum to incline rearwardly when said support means is at its lowest position, downward pressure on said lever then urging said fulcrum to incline still further rearwardly so as to exert a rearward thrust on said lever and on said support means.

4. In a mechanical horse of the velocipede type: a body simulating a horse and including means for leading said horse; dual rear wheels supporting the rearward end of said body; means for imparting concomitant vertical motion to said rearward end of said body and rotary motion to said wheels; a steering wheel supporting the forward end of said body; a steering post for guiding said steering wheel; and a caster mounting for said steering wheel on the lower end of said post normally holding the axle of said wheel rearwardly of the axis of said post, whereby said wheel is constrained to follow lateral movement of the forward end of said body when said horse is led; said caster mounting having a forward and downward inclination when the rearward end of said body is depressed and being substantially vertical when said rearward end is elevated,

whereby said wheel is given a tendency to wobble during the cycle of vertical movement.

THOMAS W. LA MONTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,148 Chapdelaine July 12, 1921 1,510,491 Baisden Oct. '7, 1924 2,021,531 Urytzky Nov. 19, 1935 2,505,058 Middler Apr. 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 353,715 France July 5, 1905 

